Interesting Beliefs of Eastern Orthodoxy

Oh the insanities some people can be so convinced of.

The following is taken from The Orthodox Church: New Edition by Timothy Ware.

Orthodox religious thought lays the uttermost emphasis on the image of God in the human person. Each of us is a 'living theology', and because we are God's icon, we can find God by looking within our own heart, by 'returning within ourselves':'The kingdom of God is within you' (Luke xvii, 21). 'Know yourselves' said Antony of Egypt. '...He who knows himself, knows God.' [1] 'If you are pure,' wrote St Isaac the Syrian (late seventeenth century), 'heaven is within you; within yourself you will see the angels and the Lord of the angels.' [2] And of St Pachomius is it recorded: 'In the purity of his heart he saw the invisible God as in a mirror.' [3]
Because he or she is an icon of God, each member of the human race, even the most sinful, is infinitely precious in God's sight. 'When you see your brother or sister, ' said Clement of Alexandria, 'you see God.' [4] And Evangrius taught: 'After God, we must count everyone as God Himself.' [5] This respect of every human being is visibly expressed in Orthodox worship, when the priest censes not only the icons but the members of the congregation, saluting the image of God in each person. 'The best icon of God is the human person.' [6]

footnotes:
1. Letter 3 (in the Greek and Latin collections, 6).
2. Quoted in P. Evdokimov, L'Orthodoxie, p. 88.
3. First Greek Life, 22.
4. Stromateis, I, xix (94,5).
5. On Prayer, 123 (P.G. 1xxix, 1193c).
6. P. Evdokimov, L'Orthodoxie, p. 218.

Insane, is it not?

Last One...Really

I am not trying to push this subject, but I found this article very interesting when I was coming to my own personal convictions about the use of birth control. Disclaimer...I do take exception to his use of Onan as an example of God's displeasure with birth control. Onan was deceitful, and wanted the pleasure of marriage without the duty of providing an heir for his late brother. I think God's displeasure with Onan may have had more to do with his deceit and selfishness than the manner of birth control he used. Just my thought's regarding Onan. I may or may not be right. Enjoy!


http://home.att.net/~nathan.wilson/brthcntl.htm

My Hubby's Posts on Birth Control

Based upon the direction the comments on my blog have turned, I thought it would be helpful to post links to two of my hubby's posts on his blog on this same subject.

Please keep in mind that we (hubby and I) mean to be cheritable in this area. We have not arrived at perfect knowledge in this area. But these are our convictions.



www.joshbrisby.blogspot.com/2005/06/thoughts-on-birth-control.html

and

www.joshbrisby.blogspot.com/2005/06/responses-to-common-arguments-for.html

Happy Labor Day!